Paper Planes (Taekook)

Chapter 11

 
Eighteen years
 
Taehyung’s most dreaded season came again. And it seemed harsher and crueler that year.
 
The eighteen year old placed his free hand on the knob to Jungkook’s room. In his other hand was a basket of fruits. His mom had advised him to bring some apples and other fruits to the sick boy before school. So even if he didn’t want to go, he had to.

Taehyung wondered when he began to stop wanting to see his adorable boyfriend. Oh yeah, he thought weakly, looking at the door knob. The day when Jungkook threw the sushi plush at him during one of his panic attacks and refused to see him after that.

In reality, he didn’t want to not meet the younger. But since even his father advised him to give the boy some space, he didn’t have a choice.
 

Jungkook didn’t bother turning even though his ears registered the clicking of the door knob. He simply stared out the window, with an empty look on his stunningly flawless face.

“Hi, Jungkook,” Taehyung said weakly. But the sick male sat on the bed with a shawl over his shoulders, his eyes never leaving the window.

“I brought some fruits for you. I’ll ask Jin hyung to cut them for you later, alright?” There was no reply, not even a small reaction from the seated boy.

“I’m off to school now. So I’ll see you later okay? Keep yourself warm.” Taehyung said with closed eyes. Please, he pleaded mentally. Please get better, Kookie-ah.
 

 
Namjoon and Hoseok looked at the empty seat beside their desks. Taehyung was late, again.
 
Jin looked at Taehyung walk past him with slump shoulders and a depressing aura. Of course, no one could blame him. And no one did. But it was equally heartbreaking to see a young man act like that.

“Are you going to school?” Jin asked, already knowing the answer judging from the pink haired male’s uniform. “Mmm,” Taehyung nodded and bowed low to Jin before walking away again.
 
 

“Jungkook?” Jin opened the door. He saw the boy fiddling with one of the red apples on the table beside the bed. At least he was making movements now.

The past few weeks had been hard on everyone. After Jungkook’s date with Taehyung, his fever suddenly shot up to the extent of him vomiting out blood. He never had proper rest and always ended up with panic attacks. Too often, the ailment led to him spacing out and forgetting everything of the world except his pain and suffering.

One could say that Jungkook’s declining health had an even worse effect on Taehyung. Taehyung never stopped blaming himself for letting Jungkook be out in the rain on their date.

His adorable grin disappeared completely with his appetite and not even his parents could manage to get him to feel better.
 

Jungkook looked up to Jin and handed him the apple. His movements were slow and sluggish. Jin sat down beside Jungkook and slowly took it from his hand.

“Do you want me to peel it?” he asked. Jungkook gave a slow, emotionless nod.

Jin recalled the day Jungkook got so sick that he could barely remember anyone from the orphanage and Taehyung was no exception. It was exactly two week ago. It was exactly two weeks ago that Jungkook’s childlike giggles receded completely.

It was two weeks ago that Mrs. Kim stopped smiling whole heartedly. It was two weeks ago that Mr. Kim seemed more stressed out and tired. It was two weeks ago that the orphanage’s happiness declined by a great deal. And it was two weeks ago that Taehyung’s handsome face lost all life and his eyes never ceased swelling.